New Delhi: Football legend Lionel Messi has officially announced his retirement from international football on Monday, bringing an end to his legendary 21-year career with the Argentina national team.
In a heartfelt handwritten three-page letter, the photo of which he uploaded on Instagram, the 39-year-old said, “After all this time that has passed since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the national team.”
“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul, but I understand that now is the time. I swear I always gave everything—not just in these last few years when we won it all, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” he added.
The World Cup champion said that he’s making way for the next generation.
“There is little time left, and stages are coming to an end, and this is one that hurts me a lot. I love, loved and will always love being part of the national team. I emptied myself; I have nothing more to give. And besides, there are some great young players coming through who deserve to be there,” Messi said, adding that he will now support and cheer for his team from outside the field.
Thanking god for making him an Argentine, he said, “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my father, I am more convinced than ever.”
On 7 August, Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, passed away at the age of 68 following a long illness. He was the architect and cornerstone of Messi’s historic career, famously securing his first Barcelona contract on a paper napkin and managing his professional affairs for over two decades.
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‘His legacy will be missed’
The development has triggered an overwhelming outpouring of grief, respect, and gratitude across social media, with fans, journalists, and sports platforms universally mourning the end of an era.
“If Messi’s national team retirement is already this painful, I don’t even want to think about how I’ll feel when he retires from football altogether,” an X user had posted.
Another X user pointed out that he conquered not just South American football but world football.
“He’ll be thoroughly missed both in Copa America and World Cup, your legacy will forever remain in the hearts of every football fans,” the user added.
Then some people fell in love with football because of Messi.
“What a life to have lived. What a time to have lived in. He made me fall in love with this sport all those years ago, and I can’t bear to see another chapter in this unbelievable story close. There will never be another Lionel Messi. Thank God for him,” the X user had posted.
Messi scored 125 goals in 207 appearances for Argentina. After early heartbreak—including defeats in the 2014 World Cup and consecutive Copa America finals—Messi led his nation to the 2021 Copa America title, the historic 2022 World Cup trophy in Qatar, and the 2024 Copa America again. He retired after a historic sixth World Cup appearance in 2026.